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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23486521">On Rumors and Guilt</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/chilled_ramune/pseuds/chilled_ramune'>chilled_ramune</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Gossip and rumors, I suppose, angry mishima, he yell, mishima just goes off, self blame, touch of angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:47:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>810</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23486521</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/chilled_ramune/pseuds/chilled_ramune</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was Yuuki's fault everyone whispered about Kurusu.  The rumors were initially spread by him after all. And if he felt this bad, Kurusu probably felt worse. After listening to their words so much, Yuuki's patience wears thin.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On Rumors and Guilt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Based around an idea I had last night while playing about Mishima getting tired of listening to all the rumors people spread... It's probably tough for him to listen to all the time and he deserves to get angry.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>From the day Kurusu started at Shujin, Yuuki had to deal with the great burden that is guilt. Every chance they got, students would be whispering about the evil scary criminal transfer student. In the classroom, in the halls, as they ate lunch, it almost felt endless. Things quickly got out of hand. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I heard he keeps a knife on him, and he’ll use it if you so much as look his way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You think he’s killed before? I bet he has.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Looking him in the eyes is a death sentence.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hated hearing it. He could only imagine how the target felt. And the blame was all on Yuuki. He was the one who poured the gasoline and lit the match, and now he had to watch as an innocent person was caught in the explosion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even when Kurusu did good, people would whisper! Every proper answer to a teacher’s question would come with muttered gossip. Sure, their words were a bit more positive, but they still related to those stupid rumors! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure he’s really a thug?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Maybe he’s actually a serious student?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was starting to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>tiring. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Did these students care about anything else?! Did they consider that they aren’t that good at whispering and Kurusu could easily hear them all?! No, they only cared about whatever the new hot topic was, and for</span>
  <em>
    <span> months </span>
  </em>
  <span>now it had been transfer student this, deadly thug that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sure, helping the Phantom Thieves using the Phan-site erased a bit of his guilt. He was useful to them. But it didn’t stop people from talking about Kurusu. Of course it didn’t. Yuuki was the only person in class that knew. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No matter how popular the Thieves got, the school would always see Kurusu as some thug that would kill them for looking his way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They would always talk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuki was </span>
  <em>
    <span>exhausted</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another correct answer in class came with another set of whispers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Enough. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yuuki decided. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve had enough. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Do you guys ever just </span>
  <em>
    <span>shut up</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In an instant, all eyes were on him. Good. As they should be. Yuuki quickly rose from his desk, his fists clench and his face twisted with anger.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Since the day Kurusu walked in the classroom, all any of you have done is talk about him! He’s been here for a while now, he’s proven again and again that all the rumors flying around are baseless, and you still want to believe he’s a bad guy?! Just some thug?! Even if he was-which once again he has proven himself not to be-he still has feelings, damnit! You think he doesn’t hear the whispers everywhere?! How would you feel if everyone was talking about you, saying things that weren’t even true, all day every day?! Just consider someone other than yourselves for once!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuki could feel frustrated tears blur his vision, and he could hear his anxious heart pounding. Suddenly having all eyes on him wasn’t so good, especially the piercing glare from Ms. Usami. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mishima,” the teacher said sternly. “I appreciate your attempt to stand up for your friend, but if you’ve finished your speech, I’d like to continue my lesson.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With his steam blown off and malfesting into shame, he muttered an apology and sat down. At least his words seemed to have some effect. Not a single whisper was heard for the rest of the day. Class went on and ended and as soon as it did, Yuuki hurried for the door. He wasn’t fast enough though, and found himself approached by a classmate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mishima!” Takamaki’s voice came from behind him just as he was walking out the door. He sighed and turned around to face the consequence of his outburst...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What you did today was so cool!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...Or not. The bright smile on Takamaki’s face, and the gentle grin of Kurusu’s face behind her showed him he had nothing to fear. They almost seemed grateful. Were they...?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for speaking up like that,” Kurusu added on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m used to hearing all that by now, but knowing you have my back means a lot.” Kurusu smiled a bit more, and any trace of shame Yuuki had for telling everyone off simply vanished. “We were actually going to make a Big Bang run after school, and I’m sure everyone would love to hear about your heroism.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Heroism might be a stretch,” Yuuki said as he rubbed the back of his head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Considering it’s all my- No. We’re not doing that today. We did good for a friend, and we’re going to take pride in that. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I’m free to hang out now! Big Bang actually sounds amazing...” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A lunch to celebrate our new hero!” Takamaki cheered as they walked out the class. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they left the school, they left behind the rumors that hopefully would plague the school just a little less. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!!! Kudos and comments always make my day!! Also, feel free to follow my writing Tumblr @ gncyuukimishima!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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